[3] Battles fought at Nooitgedacht, Buffelspoort, and Hekpoort were unsuccessful at capturing the Boer Commandos, and the main British target became General De Le Rey.

[3] On 22 January 1901, Lieutenant-General French ordered General Cunningham, who commanded the garrison in Rustenburg, to take a column of troops and march towards Vlakfontein, preventing de la Rey from moving eastwards towards Krugersdorp to attack.

With the Boer opposition increasing as the column moved further south, Cunningham decided to establish a camp on a nearby farm named Middelfontein.

Cunningham's Column De La Rey's Force While the British began to establish a camp at Middelfontein on the afternoon of 23 January, the Boers, who occupied high ridges in the vicinity, increased the ferocity of their skirmishing, firing rapidly into the encampment.

[3] While the initial fighting was underway, General Cunningham was able to heliograph the British position at Olifant’s Nek to report on the battle and from the garrison there he was informed of the passing of Queen Victoria and the reign of the new King Edward VII.

Boer scouts had reported to de la Rey that there was a relieving force approaching from Ventersdorp, and the commandos had regrouped to avoid being attacked from the rear.

When the column departed the camp, the rear guard, consisting of the 7th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry, 'P' Battery, RHA, and the Worcester Regiment came under attack from a force of Boers.

The two columns halted at Vlakfontein the next day, but the Boer snipers were busy throughout the morning, which necessitated a force of pickets to ring the area, the 7th Imperial Yeomanry and " P " Battery, RHA being posted to the defensive line.